Judge Terry Doughty, a federal judge in the United States, has prohibited members of President Joe Biden’s administration from contacting social media companies to discuss how to moderate their material.
Doughty forbade the White House and some government organizations from contacting businesses on “content containing protected free speech” in a 155-page decision on Tuesday.
According to the BBC, the decision was a win for Republicans who have blamed authorities of censorship, as Democrats said that the platforms had not adequately addressed misinformation.
The case, which sparked a discussion about the government’s role in policing content it judged to be inaccurate or damaging, was one of the most keenly followed First Amendment conflicts in US courts.
The White House said the US Department of Justice was reviewing the ruling and deciding on its next steps.
“Our consistent view remains that social media platforms have a critical responsibility to take account of the effects their platforms are having on the American people,” the White House said in a statement.
It added that platforms should “make independent choices about the information they present”.
The ruling was given after a lawsuit by the Republican attorneys general of Missouri and Louisiana alleged that US officials had mounted pressure on social media platforms to address posts on topics including Covid-19 policies and election security.
Judge Doughty, who was an appointee of former US President Donald Trump, said the plaintiffs had “presented substantial evidence in support of their claims”.
“Evidence produced thus far depicts an almost dystopian scenario,” Mr Doughty said in his ruling.
He added, “During the Covid-19 pandemic, a period perhaps best characterized by widespread doubt and uncertainty, the United States Government seems to have assumed a role similar to an Orwellian ‘Ministry of Truth.’”
Government organizations, including the FBI and the Department of Health and Human Services, were restricted in their ability to communicate by the order.